Farmers in Khulna are fearing the worst that the ongoing countrywide blockade might cut short the supply of fertilisers and diesel fuel during the peak season of Boro rice harvest.
However, the local Agriculture Department office claimed that there was no reason to be concerned as the necessary supplies would timely reach the farmers under police protection.
Anwar, Binoy Kanti and Mujibor – farmers from Terokhada upazila’s Barakpur village – told the Dhaka Tribune that fresh supply of Urea fertiliser and insecticide would be needed within a few days, while more diesel would also be required for irrigation. Failure to timely get the supplies would jeopardise the projected harvest in the district, they warned.
It is projected that farmers in Khulna would grow 204,353 tonnes of Boro rice on 49,242 hectares of land this year. Sources said 95% of the cultivation has already been done, with the largest share of Boro cultivation – 20,000 hectares – being done in Dumuria upazila. Last season, Boro was cultivated on 50,000 hectares of land.
Locals said there has been a shortage of insecticide in the district for the past 15 days. The non-stop blockade, coupled with hartals, have limited truck movement on local highways – causing fertiliser supply to also be reduced in the region.
Around 40,000 tonnes of fertiliser reportedly remain stuck at the Khulna river terminal, denying local farmers the fresh supply of much-needed fertiliser ahead of harvest.
Gazi Abul Kalam Azad, convener of Khulna Fertiliser Association, said they were forced to pay extra to hire trucks during the blockade. However, he insisted that the supply of fertiliser was still going on despite the risks on the highways.
Because of the inability to transport diesel, three oil depots in the area are also reportedly holding 7.9 million litre of diesel: 550,000 litre in Jamuna, 4.7 million litre in Meghna, and 2.7 million litre in Padma oil depots. Farmers said they would soon need the diesel when they start irrigation for the Boro harvest.
Anwar Russel, manager of Padma oil depot, told the Dhaka Tribune that fuel supply has been nearly halved as the number of oil tankers have fallen on the highways because of the risk of being attacked.
Assistant director of Khulna’s Department of Agricultural Extension, Kazi Anisuzzaman, however told the Dhaka Tribune that the district had adequate stock of diesel and fertiliser. He also assured farmers by claiming that supplies would reach them under police protection in time.
Claiming that all departments concerned were acting in protecting the stakes of the farmers, Anisuzzaman added that all necessary steps would be taken to meet the projected Boro harvest this year.
